An abrupt change in wind direction on the almost 31,000 acre Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake Monday triggered a new round of evacuations, forcing hundreds from their homes.
A handful of evacuees wound up at the Red Cross Shelter at Missoula’s University Congregational Church.
The fire forced 69-year-old Martha McManus and her 75-year-old husband Gary Ikerd from the comfort of their Seeley lake home at about 9:30 Monday night.
“We just know that when we can go back, we’ll go back – if it’s still there," McManus says. "If we lost everything we’d be ok.”
McManus isn’t just putting on a brave face. She means it.
“Because we’ve lost everything before ... Attic fire," she says.
And ten years ago, another major Seeley Lake-area wildfire forced the couple from their home. Despite the close calls they’ve never even considered moving away.
“No. Nuh uh," Ikerd says. "No. It’s a beautiful town and the people are friendly.”
If they have one complaint, it’s all the smoke.
“I didn’t go to the 4th of July festivities, but [Gary] did," McManus says.
“Yup. It was good," says Ikerd, "The smoke hadn’t got there yet."
Just over two weeks later, lighting would spark the Rice Ridge Fire producing what health experts say is record levels of smoke.
“We live right across from the high school. It’s maybe 50-yards from our driveway, " Ikerd says. "There’ve been days I can’t even see it."
Martha says life with her husband, Gary has been a string of happy accidents, and she says this wildfire crisis may be just another of them:
"Things happen and sometimes it’s an accident and you don’t really know where to go or what to do. It always works out for the best, doesn’t it?"
"Yup. It does,” Ikerd says.
Even though Seeley Lake residents are stressed, frustrated and worried, Martha McManus and Gary Ikerd believe the Rice Ridge fire will ultimately strengthen their community and make it even better than it was before.